- Jeff Skinner signed with EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss National League through April 2027
- The 34-year-old leaves the NHL with 379 goals and 712 points in 1,110 games
- Read below for what Biel’s GM said and why Skinner never found an NHL job this summer
Jeff Skinner is taking his career to Switzerland.
EHC Biel-Bienne announced Friday that the 34-year-old winger, a 379-goal scorer across 16 NHL seasons, signed a contract running through the end of April 2027. Here’s the club making it official:
Biel general manager Martin Steinegger laid out what the club thinks it’s getting in a player with 1,110 NHL games behind him.
“With Jeff we’re getting a player with enormous experience and proven offensive qualities,” Steinegger said in the club’s German-language release. “He has played at the highest level for many years and shown that he can score goals and take on offensive responsibility. We’re very happy that he chose EHC Biel.”
Skinner won’t be in the lineup right away. His work permit is still being processed, and Biel expects him in town toward the end of August before he joins the group.
The move closes out a rough 18 months. San Jose gave him a one-year, $3 million deal last summer and then buried him, and he managed six goals and 13 points in 32 games while averaging a career-low 12:21 of ice time.
He sat in the press box for 10 straight games heading into the Olympic break and last dressed on Jan. 11. The Sharks put him on unconditional waivers for contract termination on Feb. 16, and no NHL team called after that.
That is a long way from where he started. Carolina took Skinner seventh overall in 2010, he won the Calder Trophy as a rookie, and six 30-goal seasons followed, including a career-high 82 points with Buffalo in 2022-23.
Take a look at what that season looked like:
The Sabres bought out the last three years of his $9 million cap hit in 2024. Edmonton grabbed him for a season after that, and he put up 29 points in 72 games before finally getting his first taste of the playoffs, dressing for five games during the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final.
His NHL ledger closes at 379 goals, 333 assists and 712 points in 1,110 games.
Skinner is one of several veterans who found this summer’s market colder than expected. Evander Kane is still sitting out there too, with his asking price sliding toward the league minimum.
Biel lands a real scorer for the National League season. Tissot Arena gets to see Skinner once the paperwork clears.
